The village in Algoa bay now called Port Elizabeth, is rising into importance most rapidly. Twelve years since, it contained four houses, and now it has upward of one hundred, and its residents are rated at above twelve hundred persons. It is one of the most prominent portions of the Cape colony, a place of resort for vessels to or from India. Subscriptions to the amount of five thousand pounds have been raised, for the purpose of building a lighthouse on cape Receife, and a jetty for the landing of goods. There are five ships connected with the direct trade to Europe. The number of vessels which have visited the port this year is about fifty. There is a good road leading to Graham’s Town, ninety miles in length; it is in the Albany district, and is said to contain upward of six thousand inhabitants. All imports and exports by sea, from Graham’s Town, &c., and the adjacent district of Uitenhage, are from this port. The imports in 1828 were fifty-five thousand two hundred and one pounds, and had increased in 1832 to one hundred and twelve thousand eight hundred and forty-five pounds, and the exports from forty-one thousand two hundred and ninety pounds, to eighty-six thousand nine hundred and thirty-one pounds. Provisions of all sorts are in abundance, and ships can be watered with great facility by pipes, leading from a pump to the sea. The exports are wine, brandy, vinegar, ivory, hides, skins, leather, tallow, butter, soap, wool, ostrich-feathers, salted beef, wheat, candles, aloes, barley, &c., &c.

Plettenberg’s bay is another place of resort for vessels in the winter season, bound home from India. The roadstead is open to southeast, but the anchorage is good, in eight, nine, and ten fathoms. The bay is spacious, with sufficient room to beat out, in southeast gales. The number of inhabitants is about four hundred, upward of one half being white. Cattle and sheep are plentiful, and it is noted for the excellence of its butter; and the timber is abundant.

There is no port of consequence lying between Plettenberg’s bay and Da Lagoa excepting port Natal, and this has but thirteen feet of water at its entrance; but it is well sheltered from prevailing winds. A few English traders are only to be found there at present, but there is no doubt that the British government will have a small garrison stationed there in the course of 1834. The merchants at Cape Town are preparing to take immediate advantage of this well-situated port, and protection from the government follows of course. The traders now penetrate one hundred and fifty miles along the southern coast beyond Natal, and far into the interior, in a northerly direction. There are no other ports, suitable for large ships to visit, than those already named, lying between False bay and Da Lagoa. The country about Natal is represented as being very fertile, well wooded and watered, and the climate healthy; it was exceedingly populous until the modern Attila, Chaka, took possession of it, and slaughtered most of the inhabitants. It abounds in cattle, and ivory is abundant. The Kowie and great Fish rivers, where there is a great number of English settlers, may be made good ports, whenever suitable improvements are made at their embouchures; they are barred like most of the rivers from the Cape to Da Lagoa, or I may as well say all the rivers in Southern, Eastern and Northeastern Africa, or from the cape of Good Hope to cape Guardafui.

The whole line of North Africa, or the coast leading from the cape of Good Hope to Benguela, is represented as being worthless, Saldunha bay, and the coast lying between it and Cape Town, being the only part where European settlers are found. Saldunah bay is well sheltered from violent winds, having a sufficient depth of water, but the country is very sandy and agriculture but little attended to; a few cattle and sheep are raised among the scanty herbage. Except one or two bays where whales resort, the remaining part offers no inducements to adventurers.

I herewith present the amount of the imports and exports into Table, Simon’s, and Algoa bays, for the year 1831:—

This settlement, which was founded by the Dutch, under Governor Riebeck, in 1652, contained in 1832 but a little upward of one hundred and forty thousand, there not being so many inhabitants as there are in the city of New York or Philadelphia, whereas the first English settlement of Puritans, which landed in New England but thirty-two years previous, now numbers upward of two millions, and the United States not less than fifteen millions. The Dutch held it from 1692 to 1795, when it was placed under the protection of the British government, by order of the prince of Orange. It was restored to the Batavian government in the commencement of 1803. In January, 1806, it capitulated to the English arms under General Sir D. Baird, and it is now an integral part of the British empire.

On a calm and beautiful morning, before the sun had tinged the mountains of Hottentots’ Holland, or Table mount, we were preparing for a ride to the celebrated vineyard of Constantia and to Simon’s town. J. B. Ebden, Esq., Captain Geisinger and myself, went in an excellent carriage, having six fine horses, accompanied by Captain Shields of the Boxer, Lieut. Craver of the Peacock, Mr. Poor of the Boxer, &c., on horseback. A pleasant ride of five miles brought us to the beautiful village of Wynberg, passing on the right of the Devil’s Peak. This village is adorned with a great number of gentlemen’s seats, and neat cottages, the avenues leading to them having well-trimmed hedges of myrtle and oak, and over shadowed by pine, oak or fruit trees, the grounds being ornamented with flowers and shrubs, and the porches shaded with luxuriant grape-vines. A small but very pretty new church, belonging to the Episcopalians, graces a rising ground on the right. We proceeded on about five miles further, where the road branches to the left and to the right, the former being the direct road to Simon’s town, and the latter leading to Constantia, &c. We breakfasted at the picturesque seat of the late Governor Cole, at Protea, with Mr. Scott of Bengal. From thence we went about three miles out of the direct road, passing the Newlands, a celebrated seat of a former governor, Lord Somerset, who lavished some eighty thousand pounds sterling upon it, at the expense of the British government. We passed through a noble avenue of ancient oaks, which led to Great Constantia, where we found a very substantial Dutch dwelling-house, having extensive out-buildings on the right, with the wine-store in the rear. We were very kindly and hospitably received, and treated to a taste of four kinds of very old, rich wine, drawn out of some of the immense leaguers, which line both sides of an extensive building. Every thing about the place is in excellent order; the variety of fruits, flowers, shrubs and creeping plants, and live hedges, made it truly enchanting.

A fine stream of water runs through it, from the range of mountains, on the decline of which the vineyard is situated. From this estate two other vineyards have been formed, viz.: high and low Constantia, so called from their relative positions to the mountains. There is a most commanding view from the upper garden, the mountains about Hottentots’ Holland, cape Hanglip and the range of mountains leading towards the celebrated cape of Good Hope, as well as False bay and the Indian ocean, and had we ascended to the top of the mountains, which overlook Constantia, about three thousand feet, we could have seen both oceans at one view, the Indian and South Atlantic. The vines, which were hanging thick with clusters of fruit, are kept as low as three feet; only two fruit-bearing shoots of three eyes are left of the last year’s growth. The grapes are trodden out with the feet, as well as pressed out, the former being preferred, as in ancient times. There was but little to gratify the sight after leaving this hospitable place, till our arrival at Simon’s town. On the left is a low sandy isthmus, (having on it many lagoons,) which connects the cape district with Hottentots’ Holland; it is about twelve miles in length, and separates Table from False bay; there can be no doubt but that cape district was once separated from the main land, and this plain was formed by the accumulation of sand, thrown in by the gales from the Atlantic and Indian oceans. A few miserable hovels are scattered here and there, over this dreary isthmus, and on the right toward the mountains, there were a few ordinary cottages, and a solitary shepherd watching his flock, but scarcely a tree was seen in any direction, excepting a few Proteas, or those about the farm-houses. We wound round the base of Mysenberg, which is about two thousand feet high, passing through a dreary and uncomfortable looking fishing village of the same name. Proceeding on, we came next to Fishhook bay, where there is a poor village, having a small whaling establishment. At this place we came to a low, sandy isthmus, which is mostly covered at high water, and leads to Chapman’s bay, on the west; this isthmus separates in nearly equal divisions the northern from the southern range of mountains, they being in length twenty-nine miles, from the Lion’s Rump to the cape of Good Hope.

About two miles from the latter village is Elsey peak, about twelve hundred feet high, round which the road passes, the base being washed by the sea, and then we came to the bay and village of the same name, having another small whaling establishment; but the inhabitants had shaken hands with poverty, and these three villages are evidently fast going to ruin. Two miles further brought us to Simon’s town; it was suddenly presented to our view on winding round the base of a mountain, with its naval arsenal and pretty white houses, having altogether a neat and cheerful appearance. A frigate, a merchant-ship and a sheer hulk, were riding quietly at anchor on the glassy bosom of the bay. We stopped at a neat hotel, and after a visit to Admiral F. Warren and family, by whom we were very kindly and hospitably received, we visited the arsenal, this being the cape rendezvous for British ships-of-war on this station, and found every thing in fine order and well arranged, viz.: suits of sails, boats, blocks, rigging, masts, chain and hemp cables, anchors, &c.; all in readiness for use from a seventy-four-gun ship to a sloop. The streets were in good order, and the houses very convenient and well built of stone or brick, and stuccoed, and the whole aspect of the place was favourable, and had an air of comfort and cleanliness, although bounded by barren, woodless and precipitous mountains and hills, with only here and there a few scattered fruit or forest trees about private enclosures. The town is represented to have a population of one thousand seven hundred inhabitants.

False bay is easy of access to vessels of the greatest depth of water, having but few dangers and those visible. No harbour can surpass that of Simon’s bay in point of security, having a sufficient depth of water for ships of any burden; the winds may be said never to blow from the east, which is the only point from which vessels are exposed. The winds most prevalent in False bay, are from the southeast, and Simon’s bay is completely sheltered from their violence; and in the winter from the north, which does not affect vessels materially, which are properly secured. Boats can always land, and refreshments of all kinds may be had, excellent fresh beef and mutton, and salted cape beef, with bread, biscuit, vegetables, wine, butter, &c., &c.

The bay abounds with fish, and if there is any deficiency of articles in the town, they may always be procured from Cape Town by the wagons. Horses and carriages are always to be had, and the mail runs twice a week to the capitol, during the warm months, and three times during the cool part of the season; the distance is twenty-one miles. Within the district there are plenty of cattle, and sheep, and wheat raised, and wine and brandy made in abundance. It is every way a most convenient and safe port for refreshments, and to repair vessels, and a most desirable haven for shelter to the way-worn mariner, who has been buffeting the storms of winter about this “cape of torments.” Our return occupied the space of three hours, and was performed by the same set of horses throughout, with perfect ease.

The following public institutions are established at Cape Town: The South African library, in a building at one end of the Grand Parade, is at once the pride and boast of the colony. It contains about ten thousand volumes in all departments of literature, and is highly creditable to the place. The South African college, founded in 1829, is spoken of in high terms by the inhabitants, although a large portion of the sons of wealthy parents are sent to England to complete their education. It has a professor of classical and English literature, as well as one for Dutch, and one for mathematics and the principles of astronomy. It has also a Dutch assistant and teacher of German, an English assistant, a mathematical assistant, writing-master, and drawing-master. There is also a society for promoting Christian knowledge, a philanthropic society for the diminution of slavery in the colony, and a royal observatory, having an astronomer, an assistant-astronomer, and a chronometer and instrument maker; a Bible union instituted in 1818; a South African infant school; a savings bank; a South African literary and scientific institution, to which is attached an excellent museum; a medical society, a “European and burial society;” this society was formed in 1795, for supporting poor and unfortunate fellow-countrymen, during their illness, and in the event of their death, to cause them to be respectably interred. It is a Dutch institution, and now possesses considerable funds. A “Saint Andrews,” friendly society, for the benefit of the Scotch, founded in 1820, to afford relief in sickness, and medical assistance. A widows’ and old women’s fund; a widows’ private fund to afford relief to the widows of deceased members; a South African missionary society; a London missionary society, established in 1795; a Wesley missionary station society for Southern Africa. The school of industry, for the instructing female children of all denominations in reading and needlework; there is also a Sunday school attached to it. There are also a ladies’ benevolent society, an English choral society, and eight Sunday schools.

The commercial exchange is a handsome commodious edifice, having a lofty and spacious centre-hall: the tables are furnished with newspapers, and there is a good supply of mercantile works of reference with maps, &c. Most of the public meetings are held here; the north wing is used by the South African public library; a masonic hall is held in another room, and it has a ball-room, fifty-eight feet by twenty-four.

There are also a colonial insurance company and an agricultural society, which are likely to be highly useful, not only to Cape Town but the whole colony, branches being already established in most of the districts. There are a temperance society, having nine branches, in almost every district; an orphan house, and two “free schools,” besides other institutions. There is an English church now building, called St. George’s church, at a probable expense of sixteen thousand pounds sterling; the Rev. George Hough is the chaplain; the service is at present performed in the Dutch reformed church, at noon, after the Dutch society has retired. The new church is calculated to hold one thousand persons, of which three hundred seats are reserved for the poor. A Lutheran church: St. Andrew’s church (Presbyterian:) a Roman Catholic chapel, and a Wesleyan and Methodist chapel, &c., &c.

There are four newspapers printed in the colony, three at Cape Town and one at Graham’s town, the Government Gazette being one of them. There has also been published since June, 1830, a monthly publication called the Cape of Good Hope Literary Gazette; each number contains twelve quarto pages. It is a most respectable periodical, and contains a great deal of original matter, on general and local topics: it is independent in its tone, liberal in its doctrines, and deserving of encouragement. The “South African Almanac and Directory,” for 1833, possesses very high merit, and I am deeply indebted to it, for no inconsiderable portion of statistical matter, &c., relative to the colony of the cape of Good Hope.

Attached to the South African literary and scientific institution is a museum; no museum I have yet seen, will compare with this, in the superior arrangement of the birds and beasts; nothing can be in finer order than the first: it would require many years of study and observation, and a fine tact, to be able to arrange them in their natural state as they are—to catch, in fact, the “living beauty,” when sporting among the wilds of his native bowers. There are many hundreds in the highest state of preservation; the beauty of their plumage is unsurpassed. There is also a small but valuable collection of shells, minerals, fossils, coral, sponge, &c., &c. A French gentleman is the artist, the preserver and arranger of this beautiful museum. I regretted much, that an hour was all I had to devote to these beautifully arranged objects of nature. There are a noble lion and a lioness at the upper end of the public garden, belonging to government. There were for sale in Cape Town a number of zebras from the Snow-berg mountains; these were in fine order and appeared to be very tractable, and several were mounted without any difficulty. This animal is so well known that it is unnecessary to attempt giving any description of it; their coats were in such good order, and the yellow ground and black stripes so bright, distinct, and perfect, that one can scarcely believe it is other than a work of man’s fancy; it differs from the zebra of the plains, by having black rings upon the legs. The price was ninety pounds sterling per pair; they are built very compactly, and are said to be a very hardy animal; there was an “ant bear,” but it differed materially from one I saw at Buenos Ayres; the body and nose of the latter were longer, and the bristles on the back also of greater length, and more rigid and wiry: he was very harmless, and suffered any one to handle him: a spring-bock-springer, antelope, or showy-bock was also for sale: he had a cavity about the lower part of the rump, adjoining the tail, the hair being quite white: when he bounded in the air this spot dilated by the effort, and closed again on descending. The above animals, as well as birds, reptiles, &c., were for sale by Mr. Reid, in Roland street—a “collector of curiosities” as he styles himself on his card.

Mr. Villet in Long street has a very great collection of animals living and dead: the living ones are at his garden at Green Point. He is also a nursery seedsman and florist: prepares birds, skins, insects, &c. There are many other “collectors of curiosities.” The enormous prices paid by the English generally, put all the traders on the frontier upon the “qui vive;” and the shell-collectors at Table and Simon’s bay, &c., find a ready sale and high prices for paper-nautilus, beautiful limpits in great variety, as well as scaly chitons, &c.

Dr. Smith has in his possession a stuffed Hottentot woman, formerly a well-known notoriously bad character in Cape Town; she was skinned in a very complete manner, excepting the head, hands and feet, the fleshy part being taken away, and then preserved and stuffed and placed in a standing position; it is almost the first attempt ever made: the features are the same as when living: she was about thirty years of age, of middle height, and well made, having close set and small tufted twists of hair; apparently no bridge to the nose, thin lips, with the extraordinary projection behind, which is common to her nation. The Hottentots are unquestionably a distinct race, from the rest of mankind, with the peculiarities well known.

There is a race-course at Green point; the horses have a high celebrity for swiftness, strength and beauty. It has been found that the racehorses imported from England cannot compete with them. It is probable they never fully recover from the fatigues of a tedious voyage.

The oil which is preferred, is taken from the top of the tail of the cape sheep; it burns without smoke or smell. The acorns are preserved in fresh water, and the cattle fed on them as well as grass.

There are regular mails to twenty-five different towns. The rate of postage for a single letter, is from twopence to thirteen pence sterling.

There are stationed within the colony three regiments of soldiers, the seventy-second Highlanders, the ninety-fifth and seventy-fifth regiments; the two first named are at Cape Town and vicinity, the seventy-second being stationed in various parts of the colony. I will only say they are in the finest order possible, and the officers of the royal artillery and royal engineers, are gentlemen that would honour any situation in which they might be placed.

Robbin island is low land, raised but a few feet above the level of the sea, and can only be seen at a short distance, lying parallel with the main and devoid of trees. It seems on the first view to be a part of the continent; it is the Botany bay of the cape, and has a small garrison; there is a good anchorage on the southeastern side, and a safe passage between it and the continent.

There is an expedition preparing for discoveries in the interior of Africa, to consist of about forty persons, under the direction of a most worthy and scientific man, Dr. A. Smith. It was to leave Graff Reinet, being the most convenient place of rendezvous, on the first of June, 1834. At that place there can easily be procured oxen, wagons and attendants. It is in contemplation to penetrate as far as the equator, in a northeasterly direction, but the course will be varied according to circumstances; the time it will occupy will probably be two years. The objects in view are to enlarge the geographical knowledge of the extensive and unknown regions to the northward of this settlement, to obtain scientific information, especially as it regards the branches of meteorology, geology and magnetism; to collect botanical specimens, and those of natural history, and to ascertain what prospects the productions of the country, and the disposition of the native tribes, hold out to commercial enterprise, are the chief aims of the intended experiment. There is to be a botanist, a surveyor and a draftsman, capable of delineating landscape and portraying objects of natural history, and a person capable of conducting the trading department of the expedition. It seems there are to be seven wagons, with one European, and four Hottentots, to each, and one hundred and twenty crew, and it is probable that two sergeants and ten soldiers will be added to the number. The cost of the expedition will amount, probably, to not less than two thousand pounds, exclusive of the necessary instruments, maps, &c. Lieutenant Edie of the ninety-eighth regiment will assume the command, in case of accident to Dr. Smith. Both of these gentlemen lately returned from a journey to Natal. May every success attend so laudable an undertaking: it is fraught with innumerable dangers, from sickly climates, savage beasts, and still more savage men.

It is in contemplation to build a break-water, into the bay, commencing near the Chavonne battery, and a survey has been completed. If a double railway is made from the quarries on the side of the hill called the Lion’s Rump, which is at a very short distance, the full cars on descending could be made to return the empty, and then it would be done at a small expense, considering the importance of the object.

On the twenty-first, our stock of provisions being replenished, we took leave of our hospitable friends. The ship tacked and stood in shore, and then tacked again and stood off, the main-topsail being aback; a salute of twenty-one guns was fired, the English flag being hoisted at the main. The compliment was returned by the castle, the ship “filled away,” and we passed between Robbin island and the main, owing to the wind being light, from the northward and westward. The convict-houses on the island are on the eastern side. The neatness of the officers’ quarters and the soldiers’ barracks, gave some relief to a very barren spot. The verdant vine-fields, the pleasant town, and the cloud-capped Table mount, gradually receded from our view, as we approached the land about Saldanha bay. The weather was fine, the temperature of the air was delightful; a smooth sea, with light breezes, accompanied us to the coast of Brazil, so that the smallest boat in the ship could have performed the passage with perfect ease and safety. We did not attempt to make much westing until the ship had arrived in the latitude of about eighteen, and in the longitude of about eight west, owing to the baffling and uncertain winds which are always experienced in a higher latitude, as an approach is made toward the sea, midway between the two continents, and toward the coast of America. And we derived but little benefit from northerly and westerly currents, which only assisted us about one hundred and fifty miles. On the seventeenth January, (1834,) we once more were blessed with the sight of “Lord Hood’s gigantic nose,” and the Vac d’Assucar, and anchored the next morning in Rio harbour. Having been deprived nearly twenty months of letters from home, great anxiety was expressed by all for the return of the boat, which had been despatched on shore and to the Natchez to procure them—hopes and fears rushed on the fancy of all, as the return boat approached the ship—the budget at length arrived, and was opened and distributed, the seats torn asunder, and the contents read with the utmost rapidity, and in a few minutes the delightful sound that “all’s well” was heard from the cabin to the ward-room, and from the steerage to the berth, gun, and spar decks, repaying all for the thousand perils they had encountered from stormy oceans, treacherous reefs, and baneful climates. Such is the delight most painfully earned by a long, protracted absence from our country, and our friends.

The Boxer having parted company soon after leaving Table bay, and keeping more to the westward than the Peacock, caused a delay of two days in her passage beyond ours. I remained at Rio until the arrival from “the river” of the Lexington, commanded by Captain M’Keever.

Having taken leave of many worthy friends on board the Peacock, I embarked on board the Lexington, and on the first day of March we were cheered with the welcome sound of the first lieutenant’s voice, ordering the capstan bars to be manned. The band immediately struck up the cheering tune of “Homeward bound,” the capstan bars flew round like a top, and in a few minutes, the ponderous anchor was at the bows, and as we “filled away,” every countenance seemed exultingly to say, “Our next anchorage ground will be within sight of home, and friends, and our dear native shore.” Light and unfavourable winds annoyed us for the first fortnight, until we stretched as far to the eastward as 28°, and latitude 19°, when the northeasterly wind began to prevail more steadily. On the twenty-seventh day, we crossed the equator and passed between cape St. Roque and the island of Fernand de Noronha. The whole passage was marked with light winds, until we arrived in the latitude of Bermudas, when strong gales from the northward caused us to suffer severely from the cold. On the twenty-fourth of April we caught the first sight of land at cape Cod, and that evening, after “battling the watch” all day with a furious northwester off cape Ann, we put into Boston harbour and anchored near the light-house. On quitting the ship and her worthy commander and officers, the next morning, the music played, “Home, Sweet Home,” which I was upon the eve of visiting, after a painful absence of twenty-six months.

A Table, showing the names of the various places visited in rotation, on board the United States ships-of-war, Peacock and Lexington, from the eighth of March, 1832, to the twenty-fourth of April, 1834; together with the distances between each place, and the number of days at sea.